


Recuperation

by CityEscape4



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Genre: M/M, pre-canon AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-09-01
Packaged: 2020-10-04 15:00:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20472950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CityEscape4/pseuds/CityEscape4
Summary: Nasch had always concerned himself with the threat of Astral World, that he never considered that one of his own would attempt to murder him and his sister in an attempt to usurp the throne.Nor did he consider how far Durbe was willing to go to protect them both.





	Recuperation

**Author's Note:**

> Based off of the second picture in [this](https://barianmao.tumblr.com/post/187377780227) photoset.

It had all happened so fast.

What had started as a simple gathering of the Barian Lords to assess their next step in the fight against Astral World, was quickly turned on its head the moment Vector approached the stairway that lead to the throne. 

Right away, Nasch stood from his throne, Merag and Durbe, who had been at either side of the Barian King, also took a step closer themselves, feeling the evil aura pouring from Vector's being.

There had been something off about him, something dark and sinister, something... _powerful_ that eminated from his body. When he spoke, it sounded as though there was a second voice speaking in time with his; a deeper, more malevolent voice that sounded familiar, and yet, not. He spoke of how only he knew the way to the destruction of Astral World, of how he'd attained a great power that would make it so, of how the only thing standing in his way...

were Nasch and Merag.

No sooner than the words had left him, he released a powerful blast of Barian energy at the reigning king and his sister, with the intent of ending them then and there. Quick to defend his twin, Nasch stepped in front of her and pivoted, sheilding her from Vector's attack with his body, his back to the incoming blast.

Above the roar of the attack, Nasch managed to make out the sound of Durbe's voice, but was unable to hear what was said - the blast making impact, but not with him or Merag.

The first thing Nasch heard once the inital boom of the impact died down was a hard and solid _'thunk'_ behind him, followed by Gilag's choked cry of "Durbe!". Nasch's eyes went wide, a sickening feeling beginning to form in his gut. He moved from his position defending Merag to turn and look behind him, Merag doing the same, looking around her brother.

There on the ground behind him, lie Durbe, missing his lower half, as well as his arms just above the elbow.

Merag shrieked in horror, and Nasch found himself frozen, unable to say or do anything, staring at the half body at his feet. 

Below them, Mizael launched a wave of his own Barian energy at Vector in retaliation, and a fight had broken out among the Barians, Vector being outnumbered by Mizael, Gilag, and Alit, but easily holding his own against them.

Merag's hand at his shoulder snapped Nasch out of his stupor, and his eyes met hers, rage in both their gazes. With twin cries of **"Vector!"** both the twins launched a blast of concentrated Barian energy at the winged would-be usurper. The blast was enough to knock Vector back, but not enough to knock him out. There was, however, a crack in one of his wings, a hazard that Vector quickly picked up on.

With a growl, Vector jumped back, sending another blast at Mizael and Alit, one that Gilag was easily able to defend them from, before retreating from the scene, flying somewhat wobbily towards the Barian Ocean.

Kneeling down, both twins were quick to tend to Durbe, before Alit spoke up. "Nasch?" He sounded winded, the small skirmish with Vector apparently having already drained him somewhat. Just how strong had Vector become? "What should we do?"

Nasch was silent, looking down at the motionless Durbe in his arms, before looking to his sister. The twins shared a look, before nodding to each other. Merag stood from her kneeling position as Nasch began to speak.

"Follow Vector. Mizael, retrieve Tachyon Dragon from its dwellings." Mizael nodded at that, and quickly turned on his heel to fetch his loyal beast, "We're going to need every bit of power we have against him. Alit, Gilag," Merag began walking down the steps in front of the throne at that point, anger radiating off of her from every corner. "Merag will be joining you as you follow Vector. I'm going to go put Durbe in a healing crystal and join you all shortly. We _will_ put an end to this nonsense immediately."

Both Alit and Gilag nodded their agreement and began to run out, following Vector's trail. Before Merag could follow, Nasch stopped her. "Merag." Merag turned to look at her brother then.

"Be careful."

Merag nodded, and ran after Alit and Gilag, leaving Nasch and Durbe by themselves.

Nasch lifted Durbe carefully, hooking his arms under Durbe's shoulders, wincing as bits of Durbe's rock-like body crumbled off of him and fell to the ground below. "Don't worry," Nasch muttered, more to himself than to Durbe, "I've got you."

Opening a portal behind him, Nasch then carefully walked through, being mindful to not proactively hasten Durbe's body's deterioration. The portal took him to the lower chambers of Barian World, underneath the throne room and the rest of the Barian Palace. It was dimly lit by various small crystal scattered throughout the floor and walls, but it was an empty space, well hidden and seldomly visited, a safe place to conjure up a healing crystal for Durbe.

Gently placing Durbe's body on the ground, Nasch began to form a healing crystal, one big enough to compensate for the body Durbe needed to grow back. As he was forming the crystal, he heard a weak groan, followed by Durbe's voice. "N-Nasch?"

Nasch stopped his work on the healing crystal, and knelt down, sitting Durbe's slowly deteriorating body up. "Don't speak," he said, cupping a hand on Durbe's chest, over the central gem there, feeding Durbe some of his energy. How Durbe's central gem had remained unaffected by Vector's blast was both a mystery and a blessing. Should it had been damaged... the prognosis would have been far more bleak. "You need to keep your strength up. I'll have you in a healing crystal as fast as I can."

"W-Where's Merag?" Durbe's head turned from side to side, his glazed gaze scanning all over the room for any sign of the King's twin.

"She's with the others." Nasch replied, retracting his hand from over Durbe's gem. "We're going to go after Vector."

"Y-You... You need to be careful...!" Durbe tried to move his body as best as he could to fully face Nasch, causing more little flecks of his body to break off.

"Durbe--"

"Vector's p-power...! It's changed...!" There was a frantic look in Durbe's eyes, a trembling in what remained of his body, and Nasch knew he needed to find a way to calm his fellow Barian Lord down before placing him in the healing crystal.

An idea comes to him, and he hesitates, never having done what he's thinking before, but it might help and Durbe needed to _calm down._ Nasch's hold on Durbe shifted, so he was able to move one hand to the back of Durbe's head.

"Nasch?"

Carefully, Nasch lowered his head to Durbe's, the red gem on Nasch's forehead coming into contact with the blue gem on Durbe's. The reaction from them both was instantaneous, a gasp escaping them simultaneously as they felt each other's strength, each other's emotions, each other's _being_ from this form of intimate contact. Energy transference was more effective in this manner, as opposed to merely cupping a hand over a gem and feeding energy through that way, and that was what Nasch mentally told himself, that he was doing this mainly to keep Durbe on a stable source of energy while he worked on the healing crystal, but as he took in Durbe's feelings, he couldn't help but alter his motive.

He could feel everything. Durbe's fear of Vector's unbidden powers, his fear of losing his fellow Barians to this power, especially Nasch and Merag, but no fear of dying. In fact, Nasch felt Durbe's resolve to protect him and Merag, his unwavering commitment to keep them safe, even if it meant laying down his own life.

He felt Durbe's love.

It came in a wave, a warmth that showered his body with such a heavy emotion, only for it to be stifled and pulled back, like Durbe was reining the emotion back in. Nasch opened his eyes - when had he closed them? - only to be met with Durbe's tightly closed eyes and gentle trembling. It was clear, that was _not_ something he'd intended for Nasch to feel.

So Nasch responded in kind, openly sharing his respect towards Durbe's resolve, his admiration and thankfulness and worry towards the Barian Knight's actions. His fear of losing him, not of losing a Barian, but of losing specifically him.

At that, Durbe's eyes opened and glazed gray met with Nasch's dual blue and red. It took a moment, but it was enough to get Durbe to stop reining in his feelings and relax in Nasch's hold, his every emotion open and true. He felt that Durbe had felt this way towards him for a long time, for as long as either of them could remember, and honestly? Nasch felt the same way too. Something drew them to each other, something raw and emotional and beyond their understanding but they were at peace with that. But neither had made the effort to do anything about it because of their statuses, Nasch as King and Durbe as his knight. (Something about the predicament felt vaguely familiar, but neither could put their finger on it.)

Upon feeling such an intense emotion flow through him, Durbe made a noise Nasch couldn't quite describe, but it didn't sound like he was in pain. For some reason, Nasch felt spurred on by the strangled sounding noise, his fingers on his free hand itching to touch Durbe's central gem, but he resisted, not wanting to take whatever they had just discovered too far, not in Durbe's weakened state, and not while Vector was still at large.

With one last wave of reassurance, and a last transfer of energy, Nasch reluctantly pulled away from Durbe, something akin to a whine escaping the wounded Barian. Both of them were breathing heavily, the sudden rush of another's emotions having been coursing through them being alot to bear. Knowing he needed to meet with the others as soon as possible, Nasch gently propped Durbe up against the wall, and rose to his feet, finishing his formation of the healing crystal.

Once it was fully formed, Nasch turned on his heel and once again picked up Durbe, who's breathing had begun to even out. "Nasch..."

"I'll come back for you." Nasch said, gently placing Durbe in the healing crystal. "After we deal with Vector, I'll come back for you. Otherwise I wouldn't be leaving your side." 

"I know." Durbe's eyelids began to droop, the sedative properties of the healing crystal beginning to take their effect on him. "Please... be careful, Nasch."

Nasch's gaze softened, and he placed a hand on the crystal. "Of course, Durbe."

With that to assure him, Durbe allowed himself to be overcome with sleep, the healing crystal darkening to the point where only Durbe's outline and shadow could be seen. The healing process had begun.

Nasch lingered a moment, keeping his hand on the healing crystal a moment longer. He leaned his head forward, resting his forehead on the crystal and closing his eyes. Vector would pay for this, he promised silently. Vector would pay dearly.

With that, Nasch opened his eyes and stood back up, stepped back some so he could open a portal back to the surface and join the fight against Vector.

**Author's Note:**

> i started this at like 3 in the morning and its nearly 8am as i'm posting and i'm not reading over it before doing so because i am tired so i apologize if it sounds like shit


End file.
